Saving Sam
by Veep
Summary: General O'Neill comes to the rescue when SG-1 is in trouble. This one is complete, just something to pass the time on a rare day off.


"They are two hours over due, sir."

Jack nodded and pushed up from his desk, following the Lieutenant to the control room. "Dial it up Sergeant." He watched the gate spin and the chevrons lock.

Jack nodded. "This is the SGC calling SG-1, please respond." Sergeant Harriman, like everyone else in the room, stared at the shimming blue of the open wormhole. He knew it made no sense, this was an out going wormhole so nothing could come through, but the light captured his attention and gave him a point of focus other than his consol. "SG-1, this is the SGC, please respond." He gave it another minute, glancing at his watch multiple times. "SG-1, please respond."

"Send the UAV." It had been prepped to go in case there was no response, no sense in wasting energy dialing out twice. The UAV launched and the screen on the console came to life. There were trees, way too many trees.

"They were headed east at their last check in." They had missed their last check in and didn't returned on time so Jack knew in his gut there was a problem, but protocol had required that he wait. "Send the UAV east."

Everyone watched the screen as the UAV flew a zigzag pattern. The trees opened on a clearing at the base of a mountain. "There, focus in there." The UAV circled and the camera zoomed in. There were multiple Jaffa in the clearing along with vehicles and supplies. There were four poles in the center of the clearing with SG-1 hanging from them. Jack took a deep breath through his nose.

The man standing beside Sam waved at the camera with his left hand. He lifted a pain stick in his right hand and touched it to Sam, holding it to her side. She didn't flinch. Jack grabbed the microphone. "You bastard, stop it."

The man laughed, clearly able to hear Jack through Sam's radio. He removed the pain stick only to then stab her with it again. She still didn't react. He dropped he pain stick and pulled a handgun from a holster on his waist. He fired at the UAV and the signal was lost. Jack slammed his hand down on the console.

"Get SG-3 and 6 into the conference room now!" Jack stalked into his office and slammed the door. Within ten minutes the conference room was full, and they were all watching the video of SG-1. The ones who had been on the receiving end of a pain stick winced as Sam was viciously assaulted twice.

"I will be leading the rescue mission."

Colonel Johnson shook his head. "That's against protocol, sir. We can handle this."

"I don't doubt your abilities Colonel but I'm going along this time." Jack waved at the screen. Somebody focus in on the guy with the pain stick. The screen changed. "Folks, that Captain Williams, at least it was when he was reported killed in action eight months ago."

The eyes in the room widened. "He's one of ours?"

Jack nodded. "Captain Williams flunked out of our training program the first time. He squeaked by the second time but was killed on his third trip through the gate, at least we thought he'd been killed. Apparently, we were wrong."

"If he's one of us why did he capture SG-1?"

"The presence of the Jaffa leads me to believe he's been taken over by one of the lesser Goa'uld we've been tracking down." Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "I also suspect the host still has some control."

Colonel Johnson tilted his head. "Why, sir?"

Jack looked around the table, making eye contact with each of them. "Colonel Carter was in charge of the training group that Captain Williams flunked out of."

They didn't encounter any resistance coming through the gate or getting to the clearing, heightening Jack's belief that Williams wanted them there. They spread along the edge of the forest where they could see SG-1 hanging like slabs of beef at a slaughter house, a thought Jack chased from his head. Daniel, Cameron, and Teal'c were still standing but they had all obviously been hit multiple times. They were each tied to poles with ropes around their shoulders and hips with their hands tied behind their backs. Sam's wrists were bound over her head and attached to the pole. Her shoulders appeared to be dislocated, probably due to her dead weight hanging from the rope. She had obviously been the focus of Williams attention, she was covered in cuts and bruises, there were burn marks on her uniform, and she was out cold, at least Jack hoped she was only passed out.

Williams walked out from a cave at the base of the mountain carrying the pain stick. Daniel screamed as it was placed against his ribs. Teal'c grunted when it was his turn. Williams walked past Sam and hit Cam briefly with the pain stick. Cam moaned, having prepared himself for the assault. Williams returned to Sam, pressing the stick against her back, making her sway. All three men protested her assault as Williams laughed.

"I know you're out there General." Williams put his hand through Carter's hair and paused his hand on her neck. "She's still alive but only barely. The longer you sit out there sizing me up the more likely she'll die before you get here." He hit her again as he laughed.

Jack motioned for both teams to put their plan into action. There were only eight Jaffa in the clearing and each SG member had been assigned one to take out. Within one minute they were cutting down Sam and freeing the rest of SG-1. Williams ran for the cave as his Jaffa were struck down. Jack wanted to go after him but he knew getting Sam back to the SGC was more important for the moment. They had almost made it back to the tree line when more Jaffa appeared, from inside the cave, on the ledge of the mountain above them, and out of the tree line in front of them. They were surrounded.

Jack and Captain Marshal laid Sam on the ground along with their weapons. Jack had confirmed she was alive, but he didn't have time to do a more in-depth assessment of her condition. Daniel slid to the ground when Lieutenant Marks let go of him. Cameron and Teal'c managed to stay on their feet as their rescuers were all disarmed.

Williams paced around his group of captives. "Welcome to my new home. It was so nice of you to drop by."

"So nice of you to put out the welcome mat." Jack glared at Williams.

Williams walked closer to Jack, holding the pain stick to his side. Jack stepped over Sam, putting himself between her and Williams. "So protective. It's really pointless, she'll be dead soon anyway. My host feels that's for the best."

Jack's nose flared as he scowled. "Take responsibility for your own actions, don't blame your host."

Williams laughed. "Take them to their cells." The Jaffa began poking them and forcing them towards the cave. Jack bent down and put his arms under Sam's back and knees. "Leave her."

Jack looked up and shook his head. "Not gonna happen." Williams hit Jack with the pain stick, forcing Jack to let go of Sam and roll away. Teal'c moved towards Jack and was taken down by two Jaffa. Fighting erupted as Jack got his knees under him.

"Stop!" Jack lifted his head as the rest of the SG personnel stopped fighting. "She's coming with us and we'll go quietly."

Williams looked at his captives as his jaw clenched. His hands began to shake and his eyes narrowed. "Fine! Fine, but you have to carry her."

Jack and Teal'c picked Sam up and they were all escorted into the cave. There were four cells in the cave and the Jaffa separated them into the different cells. Teal'c was forced to let go of Sam's legs as he was pushed into the third cell. Jack stumbled over Sam as he was pushed into the last cell.

"I want you to watch her die." Williams stalked away as Jack crawled over to Sam. He checked her pulse again. She was still alive. He turned back to the bars of the cell and tried to look at the rest of the men under his command but the cave wall blocked his view.

"Teal'c?"

"I am fine O'Neill, as are the rest of the men. How is Colonel Carter?"

"Alive." Jack crawled back over to her. He pulled her to the side of the cell and sat with his back to the wall so he could put her head on his leg. "She's not doing well though, so we need a way out, the sooner the better."

"On it, sir." Cam was pacing his cell while checking the bars and lock. They were locked up tight with the cave making up three sides of each cell. Jaffa were positioned outside the area of the cells but far enough away that it was clear Williams wasn't concerned about them trying to escape again.

Jack pulled Sam so she was sitting up and placed her side against his chest. He moved her arms, exerting enough pressure to get both arms back into socket. She didn't even moan. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. There wasn't anything else he could do to help her. They'd taken his vest, so he didn't even have an aspirin, let alone a med kit. He moved her head so her face was pointed towards his neck, letting him easily check her breathing and count the time between each breath.

"Anything guys?"

"Not yet O'Neill."

Jack sighed. He hated waiting and sitting still while waiting was even worse. He got a count of twelve between breaths, that was too long. "Carter," he whispered even though there was probably no need, "I need you to wake up. You're scaring me." Nothing happened. He counted to ten waiting on the next breath. "That's a little better Carter. We're going to get you out of here, you here me."

He began to internally panic when he got to a count of fifteen but then he felt the air hit his neck. "Don't do that to me Carter. I'm an old man, my heart can't take it." He moved his hand towards her face, checking her pulse on the way up. "I hope you're having some happy dreams in that brilliant head of yours. I know things haven't been going your way lately, your dad's passing was tough on us all, but I had hoped now that you were single again things would improve. Cassie said the last time she was here that you seemed happier. I had hoped that meant…" He tightened his arms around her.

Seven. Nine. Twelve. Her breaths slowed when he was silent. "Can you hear me? Twitch or something, let me know you can hear me. Come on Carter." Back down to a count of nine. That was better. "So, you want me to keep talking, huh? Of course, you do. By now you should know when you want talk you should go to Daniel. I'm more about action than talk." Jack sighed. "I really am crap at this whole talking bit."

"How's she doing Jack?" Daniel's voice was laced with his own pain along with his concern.

"No change Danny, no change. Have you guys found a way out yet?"

"No. nothing, sorry."

Ten. "I was thinking the next time Cassie was in town we could take her to that amusement park she loved as a kid. I love roller coasters and we all know you're a daredevil at heart. We can get pizza and ice cream too, make a whole day of it, just the three of us." Jack rubbed her cheek.

Eight. "I haven't told anyone yet, but Hammond might be retiring soon and if he does he wants me to go to Washington." The SGC reported to the chief of staff of the air force not the secretary of homeworld defense so Jack would no longer be in Sam's chain of command if he accepted the job. "I have to admit that even though I would be on the other side of the country knowing I could ask you out adds appeal to this job prospect."

Six. "That's it Carter, wake up and give me some sage advice. Which is better, having me in town but being required to stay apart or having me across the country but able to well…you know?" His thumb moved across her cheek. "I want to hear your side."

Eight. "Are you thinking about your answer? We can be physically together but kept apart or physically apart but allowed to be together. Hell of a conundrum isn't it? Nothing's ever easy for us is it?"

Gunshots rang out. Jack pushed himself up, laying Sam on her side. He moved to the door of his cell as the Jaffa guards started running to the mouth of the cave and returning fire. Within ten minutes the six SG teams Jack had told to come for them if they didn't return in an hour had secured the cave, released the prisoners, and captured Williams. Sam was loaded on a stretcher and returned to the SGC, along with the rest of SG-1 while Jack oversaw the clean up of the rescue mission.

Williams was shipped off to the Tokra with SG-5 along as his escorts. His Goa'uld would be extracted and he would be returned to the SGC. Jack figured being captured and used as a host was a good enough reason to transfer him somewhere else, without bringing up the fact that his dislike of Carter almost got her killed. Carter was right to have failed him from training.

Sam woke in the infirmary the day after being brought back to the SGC. Jack was there when she opened her eyes. She groaned and reached for one of the pain stick burns on her side. Jack gently held her wrist, so she wouldn't injure herself worse.

"You've got a few burns and a lot of cuts and bruises but honestly you've looked worse before." He let go of her wrist as her arm went limp.

"Thanks, sir. That makes me feel so much better."

He smiled at her sarcasm. "That's what I'm here for?"

"What did you find out about Captain Williams?"

Jack nodded. "I figured you remembered him." Jack sat down beside her bed. "We were wrong about him being killed. He was taken as a host by some minor Goa'uld called Moa. The Goa'uld was apparently sick though and not totally able to control the host so Williams' desire to come home bled through. He set up shop on a planet he knew was on our explore list."

"But when he saw it was me…"

Jack shrugged. "Apparently his hatred of you also bled through."

"I noticed."

"The doc says you should make a full recovery and this gets you a few days off. You can read and watch a bunch of chick flicks with Cassie when she comes home this weekend."

"She does love her chick flicks. I'd rather watch a good action movie."

Jack smiled. "Agreed."

"Maybe we could go to that amusement park she likes when she comes home."

Jack's eyes widened. "That sounds like a good idea. What made you think of it?"

"No idea, I probably saw something about it or she could have mentioned it."

"Yeah, probably." Jack stood up. "I better get back to work before someone comes looking for me. I'll come back and bring you some dessert tonight."

"And maybe a couple diet cokes, they never have those down here."

"Diet coke it is."

"And Sir?"

"Yeah?"

"Washington."

"What?"

Sam smiled. "I can recommend some good places to stay in Washington."

Jack returned her grin. "I'll keep that in mind."


End file.
